Create Fall Warmth With Homespun
From soft-lighting, inviting smells and warm, fluffy blankets, fall brings to mind so many elements of comfort. One of those is homespun fabric. Its time-worn, vintage look and feel exudes fall coziness.
Although you may not know its name, you know homespun. It is the well-worn, handmade fabric used in a variety of fall decorations, but it might be best known for its use in making rag dolls. I found a great witch rag doll I use around Halloween and even have a Turkey rag doll, too. Historically, rag dolls were handmade and mostly made from grain sacks and scraps left from making the family’s clothing. You don’t have to have a rag doll from your childhood to create the charming and cozy feeling you get decorating with this Americana staple. Today’s creations are as warm and timeless as their predecessors.
What is homespun? Originally, fabrics were made from yarns spun by hand. Today, homespun fabric can be factory-made re-creating the look and feel of its ancestors. Homespun has a fairly rough surface, made from nubby, uneven yarns. It can be woven into ticking, checks, plaids and even calicoes. Handmade quilts are a great example of a beautiful way to cozy up a house for fall even if your design style isn’t country.
But the applications for homespun doesn’t stop there. It is used in making grain sacks; American and French grain sacks are being used today by many designers in their interiors. I work with one gal who makes amazing pillows using grain sacks. She can’t make them fast enough. Grain sacks can be displayed on racks, like a quilt. Some have letters or numbers imprinted on them, which notate where the originated. American grain sacks are generally more colorful and can add a touch of whimsy to your décor.
As a custom slipcover designer, I have used homespun many times to make slipcovers. Distinctive from most plain, woven fabrics, its yarns are uneven and densely woven; meaning the weave is tighter. I’ve had to re-sharpen scissors when I finished cutting some homespun. It is a great fabric to slipcover with for that reason and also because it gives the slipcover a slubby texture.
Homespun brings with it a feeling of nostalgia and for me that is what fall decorating is about. It leads up to Thanksgiving, which is all about coming home. Check out, my Pintrest board for more ways to use homespun in your home to get ready for the fall.
I encourage you to share with us your favorite uses of homespun in your home, especially if you have a rag doll or a handmade quilt. Please remember to include pictures!
